ROOTED in beauty

New on the bookshelf, South African Indigenous Garden Plants: The Gardener's Guide, offers a richly rewarding journey through one of the world's most spectacular botanical landscapes

- text HEIDI BERTISH

It's not every day that a gardening book makes you feel profoundly lucky to live exactly where you do. But South African Indigenous Garden Plants: The Gardener's Guide does just that.

I've long been aware of the natural wonders that surround us, yet this book has reawakened a sense of awe. It's a lush, meticulously assembled tribute to one of the most flora-rich corners of the planet. And I am entirely under its spell.

As the title suggests, this is a guide – but don't let that fool you into thinking its dry or didactic. This is gardening by authors that have spent a lifetime working and designing with plants, creating a project ten years in the making. Showcasing some 2 400 South African indigenous plants, the book manages the not-inconsiderable feat of distilling this abundance into an accessible, visually elegant volume that's as welcoming to a novice plant lover as it is invaluable to professional horticulturalists and landscapers.